Everything is a compromise....
srv said:
Paul,
Nice setup, like the shuttle guards too. Question for you or any other RV-8 panel experts.
I'm thinking of using a Dynon-180 (bigger display with EFIS/EMS combo), and my tendency would be to group the analog backups on one side, rather than have a/s on one side and alt on the other. Obviously, a/s, alt, vsi and an autopilot (thinking the pictorial pilot also) would be crowded on one side... But wondering about the human factors (say your EFIS goes out IFR and you've got to look back and forth alot).
Figure you'd have some human factors guys at JSC advising you (I worked on the TFCR & CCF, and there must be a million experts there).
Thanks
Very insightful question/comment!
I did have a lot of discussions with my cockpit design gurus and test pilot buddies before I finalized the panel. If I would do anything differently today, I would have gotten 2 1/4" ASI and Altimeters, just to save on real estate, but I like the final layout because of what I was used to. In the AA1B that I flew for over 20 years, the lower left side of the panel clustered the clock, compass, and T&B with the ASI. I found thatthis tightly grouped set of instruments was really good for partial panel flying (if anything can be said to be good for that!), and I got comfortable with it. Having altitude right there would be nice, but as long as you have airspeed, you have some idea whether you are slowing or speeding up, and therefore if you are climbing or diving. I just have found that when I am partial panel, I rarely look at the altimeter as much as the other stuff.
Of course, with the Pictorial Pilot, I'm unlikely to be hand flying partial panel anyway (not that I don't practice that way), because as long as it is working, I'll just engage the autopilot to keep me flying straight and level, and spend my limited brain cells trying to think my way out of the mess I've gotten myself into...
The rest of the panel layout came from a desire to have similar functions grouped together (electrcial is ALL on the right sub-panel, Fuel and engine is ALL over on the left), and having switches where my hands naturally fall to them. Other little human factors things were leaving the avionics protruding (rather than flush) to provide "finger ledges" for operating in turbulence, etc.
So yes, I had a lot of outside help and comments in the design phase, and it paid off! Now I am trying to figure out where to put my Altrak button when I install that....needs to be for the left hand, since I want to keep flying with my right until it's engaged, but the left side doesn't have any good real estate left.....It'll come to me!
Paul